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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Fans flood onto the Memorial Stadium field Saturday after the Illini defeat Michigan 21-7.
The News-Gazette
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. The 20th-ranked Illinois football team left Champaign on Thursday afternoon and arrived in Eugene, Ore., on Thursday night. Why? To acclimate to the two-hour time change ahead of Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. kickoff at No. 1 Oregon.
➜ 2. Get used to seeing Shauna Green in C-U. Illinois announced a two-year contract extension for the successful Illini women’s basketball coach on Thursday, keeping Green in charge at Illinois through the 2029-30 season.
➜ 3. Illinois men’s golfer Jackson Buchanan can add another Big Ten Golfer of the Week honor to his list of accomplishments. The Illini senior won the fifth of his career when the Big Ten announced its latest recipient on Thursday after Buchanan won the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational on Monday in Saucier, Miss.
David Hull and the Fisher/GCMS soccer team is rolling right now.
Numbers game: 7
area boys’ soccer teams still playing. In Class 2A, rivals Centennial and Champaign Central meet at 4 p.m. Friday for a regional title match in Charleston. At the same time, Mahomet-Seymour plays at Urbana in another regional championship match. On Saturday, Monticello hosts two 1A sectional semifinal matchups: Fisher/Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley against Oakwood/Salt Forka t 10 a.m. and St. Joseph-Ogden against reigning state runner-up Normal U-High at noon.
Caleb Williams will try to lead the Bears to their fourth straight win on Sunday against the Commanders in Landover, Md.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Illinois at Oregon football. Beat the No. 1 team on Saturday and not only does it mark just the fourth win against a top-ranked team by the Illini. But it also marks the sixth time Illinois will have seven wins before November arrives.
➜ 2. Washington at Indiana football. Indiana is one of just three Big Ten teams still without a conference loss. If you’re an Illinois fan hoping to see Bret Bielema’s program in the Big Ten championship game on Dec. 7 in Indianapolis, you’re rooting for the Huskies to win Saturday before the Illini and Oregon kick off.
➜ 3. Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders. Caleb Williams and Co. aim for fourth straight win on Sunday, with former Illini Nick Allegretti, Quan Martin and Johnny Newton suiting up for the Commanders.
Matt Barnes, his wife Morgan and the couple’s two children: Redick and Sutton.
Coach’s corner
Three questions with Ridgeview/Lexington football coach Matt Barnes, whose Mustangs end the season Friday night at Deer Creek-Mackinaw:
âžœ 1. My favorite sports team is … the Duke Blue Devils.
âžœ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Mike Krzyzewski, Andy Reid and Bill Belichick.
âžœ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … seeing people with a lot of potential not do what it takes to reach it.